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Music servers and other computer based digital audio technologies.

RE: Linux - what I think its really good for in audio




John,

I have been using a Linux system like the one you described for the last 6-8 months, with wonderful results.

In a nutshell I'm using a SBC (single board computer) running a Debian based distro that runs entirely in RAM. Music Player Daemon daemon runs on the SBC, with MPD clients running on a Nokia N800, among other computers in the house. MPD buffers each song entirely to RAM before playback. FLAC files are fetched by the SBC from the bedroom computer which acts as a NFS server.

Voyage Linux: is based on Debian and is quite special as far as small distros go. It retains the apt package manager making software installation a snap. The entire OS runs in RAM and is loaded form a small 512MB compact flash card. IMO, Puppy Linux and other distros of the sort are *not* ideal fro a dedicated Linux music server. These are distros that come saddled with desktop applications, X windows, etc., etc. Voyage Linux starts off with a very minimal footprint. I used apt to install MPD, ASLA base, and NFS client. Link: http://linux.voyage.hk/

PC Engines ALIX single board computer: These are tiny AMD Geode based single board computers. I have experience using their now discontinued WRAP boards as a firewall. When Pascal Dornier -the PC Engines designer- started offering his new ALIX boards with USB ports, I began thinking about using them as an audiophile grade dedicated USB server.

I currently use the Alix 2d2. Link: http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d2.htm My first server used this board: http://www.pcengines.ch/alix3d2.htm I swicthed ot the 2d2 as it has all the ports and connectors on the back. I plan on using the 3d2 for experimenting. Neither board has audio, VGA, mouse, or keyboard connectors. And I like it that way. The unit draws a total of 4 watts (on my Kill-A-Watt) when playing FLAC files. You can't beat that with a stick. And for the battery experimenters out there, this unit is ideal. No noisy ATX or Pico-PSU required. There is no fan on the CPU or any other component of the ALIX. And I also confirmed with Pascal Dornier that the ALIX boards can be used via battery power without issue.

Music Player Daemon. Link: http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon_Wiki This amazing (and *very* stable) piece of software makes this all possible. The MPD server daemon runs on the headless ALIX computer and does one thing and one thing well: play music. MPD daemon is controlled MPD clients that are usually (but not always) run on other computers or hand held deices. I currently have MMPC running on a Nokia N800 via WiFi. But I also have GMPC running on a Thinkpad laptop and on the bedroom computer. I can use the bedroom PC to put together an extensive playlist, and then manipulate playback using the Nokia N800. Or just use the Thinkpad from the sweet spot as well... There are *many* MPD clients written for all sorts of devices: Linux, Windows, MAC, iPhone and iPod Touch, Google Android, Bluetooth phones, etc.

The tiny and silent SBC sits on the audio rack feeding a Wavelength Brick V2 USB DAC in my dedicated listening room.

If you have any question, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Nick


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